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MSE News: The AA is the easiest company to haggle with in 2013

Former_MSE_Darryl
Former_MSE_Darryl Posts: 210 Forumite
edited 15 April 2013 at 1:03PM in Motoring
"The AA, Sky and Virgin Media are the easiest companies to haggle with, new research by MoneySavingExpert.com shows..."
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The AA is the easiest company to haggle with in 2013

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  • I had my AA renewal last July for approx £135. I'm a member of an accounting professional body, and looking at their website saw that there were discounts for members with either AA and RAC. Called up RAC and quoted code, they offered me renewal at £75 on similar basis (Roadside, Relay, Homestart). Called AA and they could only drop to about £95.

    Better still, RAC lady said there was a £25 discount on my renewal for this year if I didn't make any callouts.

    So it pays to check if you qualify for discounts through other means.
  • Steve059
    Steve059 Posts: 2,686 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 15 April 2013 at 9:09PM
    I'm not surprised that the AA are easy to haggle with. Their prices are high enough to give them a lot of leeway.
    If you fold it in half, will an Audi A4 fit in a Citroen C5? :)
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,755 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I got my RAC renewal at the full price, Phoned them and said i only paid ££ last year and have never called you out. They said no problem and dropped the price.

    Call must have been less than a minute.

    As above though, Easy to haggle and drop the price because they are taking advantage of members.

    I guess they are all guilty of that. How about some praise for a company that dont increase the prices beyond whats essential for them to operate?
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • I have been with the AA for 25 years. With family membership, two cars, and home start, recovery etc, the renewal this year came to just over £400! I called them, and indicated that I was thinking of trying another provider. With little or no argument from me, just a judicial silence whenever a figure was mentioned, I was quoted a renewal cost of .....wait for it.....£140!! Savings of £260 for a 10 minute phonecall. I'll never let a renewal notice go unchallenged again.:)
  • redux
    redux Posts: 22,976 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 9 August 2013 at 11:57AM
    MSE_Darryl wrote: »
    "The AA, Sky and Virgin Media are the easiest companies to haggle with, new research by MoneySavingExpert.com shows..."


    But why bother to use companies where it is so necessary?

    Their ethics don't stretch to offering all their customers a decent price, and indeed this and other places have plenty of examples of sudden and unexpected gazumps in price on annual renewal from one of those, which will catch out their loyal members who renew automatically and trust them without checking.

    My breakdown insurance cost me £54 and includes European cover. I wouldn't waste my time getting a quote from AA or RAC.
  • Ferris
    Ferris Posts: 471 Forumite
    got my renewal quote for breakdown cover. AA totally refused to budge on price. so much for the "easiest company to haggle with"!
  • anotheruser
    anotheruser Posts: 3,485 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    On the flip side:

    My current insurance company offered me £30 worth of high street vouchers but the AA offered me £54 off their original quote, which was the same (bar a few pounds) as my current insurance renewal.
  • tykesi
    tykesi Posts: 2,061 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    MSE News: The AA is the easiest company to haggle with in 2013

    And that's exactly why I won't be a customer of theirs again. If all it takes is a two minute phone call to magically make a discount appear then they should price the renewal better in the first place.
  • Renewal = £347.61. I didn't even want to haggle, just cancel and go to GEM at £145 via Quidco.

    10 minutes later and I've got AA Gold Membership (free upgrade from Silver), a load of extra's although minus the 'free hire car for 3 days if needed' which I've never needed in the past, and all for a grand total of ..... £159.99.

    Sorted! :D
  • I phoned the AA today and got the annual renewal reduced from £211.14 to £108.00 !!! Well worth calling them, and very pleasant about it too.
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